The Artists - Manitoba Opera

Message from the Chair, Board of Trustees
Welcome to our production
of Aida and the close of
our 40th anniversary
season. On behalf of the
Board of Trustees, the cast,
crew, staff, and volunteers,
I want to thank you for
attending Manitoba Opera
this year. I also want to
thank all our donors, corporate supporters,
and public funders for their support.
As the board and staff of Manitoba Opera look
to the future of this company and opera in our
own community, we want to hear from you.
Manitoba Opera exists to serve you, and we want
you to have a say in the future of the company.
Throughout this spring and summer, Manitoba
Opera will be offering a variety of ways for
you to share your thoughts on the future of
Manitoba Opera and for you to hear from
the board and staff on the opportunities and
challenges we see for the future.
In my program message in the fall, I spoke to
you of the changes happening in the performing
arts, and particularly in opera companies,
throughout North America. As communities
evolve, opera companies are evolving as well and
finding new ways to serve their communities.
More than ever before, opera companies are
collaborating with other organizations such as
arts groups, social service agencies, and
educational institutions to develop programming
that is performed in a variety of ways and venues.
This is a very important time for the company,
and I would ask that you please take a few
moments to review the insert in the program
that outlines this initiative and how you can
participate to make sure your voice is heard.
The theme of next month’s Opera America
conference is also about connecting to
communities. At Opera Out of Bounds, opera
people from across North America will meet in
Vancouver to discuss ways for opera companies
to reach beyond the traditional opera house to
build relationships with the many segments of
their cities’ populations, to share ideas about
creating new audiences, and to look at how
technology is influencing the art form.
We are all here tonight because we value the
experience of opera. It transports us, changes us,
entertains us, thrills us, and brings us close
together. It is an experience that is irreplaceable.
We’ve just finished 40 years together; now it’s
time for us to start working on the next 40.
Enjoy this evening’s performance.
Jennifer Snyder
Chair
Pre-Show Chats
Saturday, April 13 and Friday, April 19 • 7:30 pm
Tuesday, April 16 • 6:30 pm
Craig Oliphant, Manitoba Opera Chorus Member
Piano Nobile
An informative 15-minute presentation that will add to your enjoyment of the production.
3
Message from the General Director
In 1870, opera
commissions didn’t
come any bigger than
this. The Khedive of
Egypt, who governed the
territory for the Ottoman
Turks, wanted a big
name to write an opera
in celebration of the new Cairo Opera House.
Intention: impress Europe. Verdi was on the
list of composers to be approached; a very
short list that included Wagner.
Though not exactly out of the opera writing
business, Verdi wasn’t actively searching for
a subject. But flattery for Verdi, who unlike
Wagner, was noted for modesty, at least
to a point, won the day. Parameters for the
commission? The subject had to be Egyptian,
which to the audience of the time meant far
distant ‘ancient’ Egypt, however that was
imagined.
As it turned out, Aida didn’t open the new
house. The Franco-Prussian war intervened
(just like a war to upset things), and the sets
and costumes couldn’t be delivered to Cairo
from Paris on time. So Rigoletto served as the
house opener, though Aida did have its world
premiere there in 1871. From Cairo, Aida went
to La Scala and the world.
In our time, the opera has been brought into
arguments about European cultural imperialism
and attitudes to the supposedly mysterious
East, especially in the age of the new archeology,
most prominent in Egypt, in the 19th century.
Indeed, Aida’s plot was taken from a story by
a leading French Egyptologist, Mariette, who
had set up a small fiefdom in Egypt. Whether
the story was true or not really didn’t matter.
It provided Verdi with the plot about what he
called the fatal power of love.
Bernard Shaw said that a Verdi opera was about
a soprano and a tenor prevented from getting
together by a baritone. Aida goes one better by
having a mezzo, the rival princess, Amneris,
and a baritone, Aida’s father, King of Ethiopia
as the lovers’ obstacles. It’s a complication Verdi
could handle with ease at this stage of his
career, and the ‘fatal power’ covers romantic,
paternal, and patriotic love in equally dramatic,
interweaving measure.
Aida seems to be happening now, despite the
original setting and can be made to reflect our
current obsessions and political tensions. For
example, recent Aida productions have been set
in the present day Middle East. In one of them,
Radames is tortured by waterboarding.
Also, in many ways it was Verdi’s last opera,
in that Aida seems to draw together his near
40 years of bringing to perfection the
heritage of Italian opera. There was more to
come, including the supreme masterpieces
Otello and Falstaff, but Aida marks a kind of
close. In taking the commission, Verdi to a large
extent, marked paid in full on the contract of
his art and life.
Larry Desrochers
General Director & CEO
Manitoba Opera gratefully acknowledges the encouragement and financial support given by the following:
Manitoba
Arts Council
Canada Council For
The Arts
Winnipeg
Arts Council
The Winnipeg
Foundation
5
Bravo Gala 2013
Manitoba Opera’s 230 guests enjoyed
an enchanting, Egyptian-themed
evening at the fifth annual Bravo
Gala held Saturday, March 9th at
the Delta Winnipeg.
Comedian Al Rae was the emcee
and soprano Lara Secord-Haid,
accompanied by pianist Cary Denby,
charmed the crowd with her
performances. Guests danced
the night away to the sounds of
the Danny Kramer Event Band.
L to R: Glenn Armstrong, Jennifer Snyder, Larry
Desrochers, Luisa Matheson, Lesbia Sediles-Ong
L to R:
Diane Berger,
Gail Asper,
Louise Nebbs,
Lucienne Blouw
There was lively bidding on a wide
range of silent and live auction
items, and one lucky winner took
home an 18kt rose gold teardrop
pendant donated from the Birks
Muse collection.
A big thank you to the many
generous Bravo Gala sponsors
and supporters! Thanks also to the
committee, staff, and volunteers
for all their hard work in making
the evening such a success.
Mark Your Calendars.
Bravo Gala 2014 will be
Saturday, March 8!
Auction DONORS
Aija Aleksandra Svenne
Al Simmons
Assiniboia Downs
Assiniboine Park Conservancy
Bailey's Prime Dining
Ben Moss Jewellers
Birchwood Art Gallery
Blue Moon
Broadway Florists
Buhle Painting & Decorating
Café Carlo
Calabria Market
Camerata Nova
Children's Museum
Chop Steakhouse Bar
City of Winnipeg
Clay Oven
6
Back Row (L to R): Karen Bryk, Abigail Mickelthwate,
Alexander Mickelthwate, Holly Harris, Sid Robinavitch,
Mike Bryk. Front Row (L to R): Lara Secord-Haid, Elba Haid,
Nikky Levy, Harvey Levy
Communication Media
Network Inc.
Crown Cap
Danny's BBQ & Smokehouse
De Luca's Cooking School
Delta Winnipeg
Diamond Gallery
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Dr. Bruce McFarlane
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and Hair Centre
Dr. John Bracken & Sue Jurkovic
Edward Carriere
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Elements
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Winnipeg
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Hermanos Restaurant & Bar
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Hy's Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar
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Josef Ryan Diamonds
Lawton Partners
Lobby on York
Luisa Matheson
Manitoba Centennial Centre
Corporation
Manitoba Club
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Notes from the Director
This will come as no
surprise for all those who
already know and love
this beautiful and deeply
moving piece of music
and theatre, but Aida is
not Grand Opera. Yes, it is
very much opera in the
finest music and storytelling tradition of Verdi,
and for my money there is much that is
wonderful and “grand” about Aida, but in the
truest definition, Grand Opera it ain’t. The
term is generally reserved for those enormous,
multi-hour works, most often French, where
the stage is littered by huge choruses, at least
one or two wars, a couple of cities being
burned down, and whole civilizations
slaughtered and left to litter the stage.
Think Les Troyens...now that’s Grand Opera!
Aida on the other hand, barring perhaps the
Call to War Scene for the men and of course,
the everything-and-everyone-onstage-but-thekitchen-sink Triumphal Scene, is actually a very
intimate and deeply personal relationship
opera. Somewhere along the way, and certainly
not for the premiere, and not as conceived by
Verdi himself, the Triumphal Scene began to
spin out of control by the addition of countless
supernumeraries (extras), more and more bling
Manitoba Opera
Manitoba Theatre Centre
Manitoba Theatre for Young
People
Mann Financial Assurance
Margaret Switala
Mise
Norwood Hotel
Plug In ICA
PMA Agencies
Prairie Theatre Exchange
Prepared Pleasures
Rainbow Stage
Richlu Manufacturing
Robert Vineberg & Lena Horn
Round Table Steak House & Pub
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Sensi Wine Lounge
and glittering spoils of war plundered from the
vanquished Ethiopians, and eventually, the
subjects of those endless Aida gags...the animals.
So, there will be no terrified tigers, no braying
donkeys, no nervous horses doing what nervous
horses do on stage here in Winnipeg. Instead,
we focus on the heartbreak, the humanity, and
the heroism in what is, without a doubt, one of
Verdi’s most beloved and enduring operas.
Rather than two star-crossed lovers, the power,
the beauty, and the tragedy of Aida comes from
the fact that the lovers are three: two queens,
one by necessity in disguise, both in love with
the same man. It is this warrior who must
choose between his love for his country and
his love for one of those two women.
High stakes and a love triangle from the pages
of myth or the newspaper headlines of today,
Verdi’s masterpiece is a passionate study
of larger-than-life characters trapped in
larger-than-life situations. For me, the true
genius of Aida is that we are able to
understand, sympathize, and perhaps even
empathize with the tragedy over which those
characters have no control.
Maybe not as the French intended, but ain’t
opera GRAND? Enjoy.
Brian Deedrick
Shelter Canadian Properties Limited
Shirley Elias
Stella's Café and Bakery
Steve's Bistro
The Buhler Gallery, St. Boniface
Hospital
The Electrik Chair Ultimate Massage
True North Sports & Entertainment
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Via Rail Canada
Vittorio Rossi
VQ Salon
WaterMart
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Winnipeg Airports Authority
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Comedy Festival
Winnipeg Folk Festival
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Fringe Festival
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Winnipeg Singers
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
WOW! Hospitality Concepts
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SPONSORS:
Birks
Chocolatier Constance Popp
Delta Winnipeg
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
McKim Cringan George
MGI Securities
Savvy
Unisource
7
Perspectives
P e a c e a n d S i l ence
By Rory Runnells
Aida opens in a whisper
and ends that way.
Though it contains the
most famous grand scene
in opera, not to mention
raucous confrontations,
and religious and
judgmental rites, it is more
often a work of individual introspection and quiet
longing for peace.
Her hopeless predicament in loving the enemy yet
needing to help her country, as represented by her
implacable father, Amonasro, the Ethiopian king,
has no out except the liberation of death. The
unyielding state may drive the characters to death,
but its acceptance as escape is realized by Aida
and finally, by Radames. Only Amneris is left to
whisper ‘pace’ (peace). The silence follows; a
rebuke to the chant of the priests and the cruelty
of a world that needn’t be.
Aida’s impassioned voice, above all the din, and
equally, in the midst of the quiet, is the steady
protest against the crushing society in which she
is imprisoned. The society in Aida is an imagined
ancient Egypt – the world power at that time –
with a formidable state religion at its centre.
The historical accuracy of that didn’t matter to
Verdi; what matters is that he puts the individual
against it.
If one looks at several operas before Aida, for
example, La Forza del Destino and a revision
of an early Simon Boccanegra following Aida,
you will see Verdi’s characters calling for peace.
Gone is any nihilism or anger, however dramatic.
It isn’t a religious plea; rather it is the hope for
rest after death, in whatever manner that might
be imagined in this life.
Verdi was agnostic. Though respectful of belief,
he held only contempt for any clerical system,
and there are few sympathetic clergy in his entire
output. This disdain wouldn’t mean anything if
it weren’t dramatically sufficient, and in Aida the
drama of the power of the clerical state crushing
the body is relentless. Against that is Aida’s quest
for spiritual peace, a need, which by the opera’s
end, embraces her restless beloved, the Egyptian
warrior Radames and her rival for Radames,
Princess Amneris.
Although it is the repentant Amneris singing at
the end, it is really Verdi calling out. He lived
another 40 years, but that whisper of ‘pace, pace’
is his last word on whatever lies beyond this
mortal coil.
Rory Runnells is Artistic Director of the Manitoba
Association of Playwrights, Drama Editor for
Prairie Fire magazine, and writes book reviews for the
Winnipeg Free Press.
Please be “Scent-sitive”
Opera is a multi-sensory experience, but smell shouldn’t be
one of them. When attending performances, please be
considerate of fellow opera lovers who have allergies and
sensitivity to fragrance and chemicals by refraining from
wearing perfume, cologne, aftershave, and other fragrant
personal care products such as strongly perfumed hand lotion.
9
The Composer and Librettist
The Composer
Giuseppe Verdi
(1813-1901)
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi dominated
the world of Italian opera from his first
considerable success in 1842 with Nabucco
until his final Shakespearean operas Otello,
staged at La Scala, Milan in 1887, and Falstaff,
mounted at the same opera house in 1893.
During his lifetime, this most beloved of all
opera composers wrote 26 operas, not including
revisions, as well as numerous other compositions.
The best known of these operas are Nabucco,
Macbeth, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata,
Aida, Falstaff, Otello, Les Vêpres Sicilennes (The
Sicilian Vespers), Simon Boccanegra, Un Ballo in
Maschera (A Masked Ball), La Forza del Destino
(The Force of Destiny), and Don Carlos.
Verdi made opera into more realistic theatre
than the bel canto operas composers, such as
Donizetti, had produced. He demanded more
emotion and better acting from his singers and
discouraged vocal acrobatics. The orchestration,
sentiments, and passions of Italian Romanticism
can be clearly seen in his operas which offer
dramatic, passionate characters taken from
real life, characters
involved in desperate
struggles and displaying
heightened passions.
He dealt with heroism
and loyalty, jealousy and greed, love and hate,
and devotion and patriotism.
His career coincided with the rise of Italian
nationalism and the unification of the country,
causes with which he was openly associated and
which were incorporated into his music. He
became a great Italian patriotic hero and champion
of human rights, and throughout his career had
many battles with censors of artistic freedom.
Several of Verdi’s operas told stories about
wrestling freedom from oppression. In Nabucco,
Ernani, Il Due Foscari and Battaglia di Legnano,
the audience heard echoes of their own patriotic
ardour. As well, the letters of Verdi’s name formed
an acronym for Italy’s would-be king – Vittorio
Emanuele Re D’Italia (Vittorio Emmanuele,
King of Italy). The cry “Viva, Verdi!” – at first an
artistic accolade – became a passionate expression
of the Italian spirit.
The Librettist
Antonio Ghislanzoni
(1824 - 1893)
Born in Lecco, Lombardy, in Italy, Antonio
Ghislanzoni was an Italian journalist, poet,
and novelist. He studied briefly in a seminary,
but was expelled for bad conduct in 1841.
He then decided to study medicine in Pavia,
but abandoned this after a short time to pursue
a singing career as a baritone and to cultivate
his literary interests. In 1856, after his singing
voice had deteriorated, Ghislanzoni became
deeply involved in journalism within the
bohemian circles of Milan. He served as director
of Italia musicale and
editor of the Gazzetta
musicale di Milano and
also founded the
magazine Rivista minima.
By 1869, Ghislanzoni retired from journalism
and dedicated himself to literature and writing
libretti for opera. In total, he wrote over 85
libretti, of which the best known are Aida and
the revised version of La Forza del Destino.
11
Synopsis
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Librettist: Antonio Ghislanzoni,
after a scenario by Egyptologist Auguste Mariette
Composer:
First Performance: Cairo Opera House, Cairo, Egypt, December 24, 1871
Place: Memphis and Thebes in ancient Egypt
Time: The dynasty of the Pharaohs • Original Language: Italian
ACT I
ACT III
In a hall in the palace of the King of Memphis,
Ramfis, the High Priest, tells the warrior Radames
that Ethiopian forces might again be threatening
Egypt. Radames dreams of victory in battle; returning
to the woman he loves, the Ethiopian slave Aida;
and bringing her to her native land with a crown
on her head. The Egyptian princess Amneris enters,
followed by her slave Aida. Amneris sees Radames’
reaction to Aida’s arrival and realizes he loves her.
She attempts to discover if Aida feels the same. The
King and Ramfis enter with ministers, priests, and
captains. A messenger reports that Ethiopian forces
have invaded Egypt. The King announces that
Radames is to lead the Egyptian forces and he is
sent to the Temple of Vulcan to prepare for battle.
Aida bitterly grieves for her fate: to love a man who
is the enemy of everything she loves.
Ramfis enters the Temple of Isis with Amneris, who
has come to pray for her wedding the next day. Aida
approaches the temple, having received a message
from Radames to meet her. Amonasro meets Aida,
telling her that he has recognized Aida’s love for
Radames. He urges her to use it to save their people:
only she can discover the plans of the Egyptian
army. Aida reluctantly agrees, and Amonasro takes
cover as Radames approaches. Radames wants to
seek favour with the King to win the right to marry
Aida, but Aida convinces him to run away with her
instead. As they formulate their plan, Radames
inadvertently reveals the Egyptian army’s plan.
On hearing this, Amonasro reveals himself and his
real identity to Radames. Having heard everything,
Amneris and Ramfis appear from the temple.
Amonasro and Aida flee. Damning himself as
a traitor, Radames surrenders to Ramfis.
ACT I I
Radames and the Egyptian forces have triumphed.
Amneris, in her apartments preparing for the
celebrations, secretly prays that her love for Radames
will be returned. When Aida enters, Amneris tells
her that Radames has been killed in battle. Aida’s
reaction to this lie, and her relief when Amneris tells
her that Radames is alive, is all the proof Amneris
needs of Aida’s love. She coldly tells Aida that they
are romantic rivals. Aida begs for mercy, telling
Amneris that her love will only be extinguished by
death. Radames, with his army, triumphantly enters
an avenue at the gates of Thebes and greets the
King. The King offers him anything he wants, and
Radames asks that the Ethiopian prisoners be
brought forth. Aida is overcome to see her father,
Amonasro, amongst the prisoners. He instructs her
not to reveal his identity as king. Amonasro tells the
King that he witnessed the Ethiopian king’s death.
Radames asks that the Ethiopian captives be freed
now that their king is dead. Ramfis convinces the
Egyptian king to keep Aida and her father captive.
The King agrees and gives Radames Amneris’s hand
in marriage. The Egyptians give praise to the goddess
Isis, while Amonasro secretly swears vengeance,
Amneris rejoices, and Radames and Aida silently
grieve over their fate.
ACT IV
Amneris knows that Radames was planning to
escape with Aida and did not intend to reveal his
battle plans. She has him brought to her and pleads
with him to defend himself, promising to try to save
him if he will renounce Aida. Radames refuses.
Radames is taken to the judgment chamber where
he is unwilling to defend himself to Ramfis and
the priests. He is sentenced to the death of the
disgraced, by being entombed alive. Radames is
entombed in a crypt under the Temple of Vulcan.
He sees a shadow move towards him. It’s Aida, who
has slipped into the crypt to die alongside Radames.
Radames unsuccessfully tries desperately to move
the huge stone that has locked them into the crypt.
They bid farewell to the earth, awaiting their
entrance into the next world, while above the tomb,
Amneris prays for peace.
-Courtesy of Canadian Opera Company
13
“We cannot put a price tag
on the educational value of
attending live performances!” *
Student Night: Inspiring the Children of Today;
Creating the Audiences of Tomorrow
Each season approximately
3,000 students are introduced
to the wonder of opera through
the Student Night at the Opera
program.
This evening’s performance is
a “pass the hat” performance.
Following intermission, ushers
will be passing baskets to collect
a contribution in support of
this initiative.
Intermission at The Magic Flute Student Night.
Contributions help to offset the cost of this program which enables students
from Winnipeg and the surrounding region to attend the dress rehearsal of our
regular productions.
“It is a completely unique experience for the ‘plugged-in’ generation. It never fails
to amaze me how riveted the students are to the performances.”
– Pam Mason, Sisler High School
Students from Sisler High School
patiently awaiting the start
of the show.
For many students, Student Night at the Opera is their
first time attending an opera. With your support, we are
able to offer tickets for Student Night at the Opera for
only $10 per student. Your contribution also helps to
pay for the creation of study guides for teachers to help
them prepare students for the performance.
“Student Night is a very positive experience for me and my students.”
– Nadia Orlov, Private music educator
Thank you for helping us to inspire children today and create the audiences of
tomorrow.
*”What students learn goes far and beyond the event to impact ways in which they
think about culture, their own voice, and the contributions they will also make in
society.”
– Val Pierce, Grant Park High School
Aida
A n O p e r a i n f o u r A ct s
Giuseppe Verdi
Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni
Based on a plot by François Auguste Ferdinand Mariette
Conducted by Tyrone Paterson Directed by Brian Deedrick
Music by
PRINCIPAL Cast
(In order of vocal appearance)
RAMFIS, High Priest of Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip Ens
RADAMES, captain of the Egyptian Guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rafael Davila
AMNERIS, daughter of the King of Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . Tiziana Carraro
AIDA, an Ethiopian princess, slave of Amneris . . . . . . . . Michele Capalbo
THE KING OF EGYPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Watson
A MESSENGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terence Mierau
THE HIGH PRIESTESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lara Ciekiewicz
AMONASRO, King of Ethiopia, father of Aida . . . . . . . . . . . Gregory Dahl
DANCERS
Josh Assor
Kimberley Rampersad
Catherine Rutherford
Damien Lavergne
Charlie Riddiford
Jera Wolfe
Zach Rogers
Original Costume Designer
Anibal Lapiz
Lighting Designer
Scott Henderson
Set Designer
Additional Costumes designed
Roberto Oswald
for Edmonton Opera
Deanna Finnman
Projected Titles by
Set Wardrobe and Props provided by Sheldon Johnson
Edmonton Opera+
Stage Manager
Robert Pel
Assistant Stage
Managers
Kathryn Ball
Candace Maxwell
There will be one 20-minute intermission
Latecomers will not be seated until an appropriate break in the program. The use of cameras and recording devices
is strictly forbidden. Please turn off paging devices, cell phones, and alarm watches. Cast subject to change.
Manitoba Opera is a professional company operating within the jurisdiction of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.
+ Generously funded by Mr. Thomas Faith and Ms. Jo-Ann Kolmes
15
The Artists
Brian Deedrick Listed in order of Vocal Appearance
* Manitoba Opera debut
Director
Freelance Canadian theatre
and opera director, Brian
Deedrick’s last appearance
with Manitoba Opera was
a long ago and fondly
remembered production
of The Abduction from the
Seraglio (1995).
His directing career takes
him across Canada and the US, with occasional
forays as far away as Italy and Israel. Recent opera
productions include Pearl Fishers for Opera
Hamilton, Don Giovanni for Toledo Opera,
Fidelio for Edmonton Opera, Alcina for Opera
Nuova, Manon for Calgary Opera, Don Pasquale
for Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Die Fledermaus
for Knoxville Opera. Upcoming productions:
Manon in Montreal, Aida in Charlotte and Toledo,
and The Elixir of Love in Knoxville.
When not directing opera and theatre, Mr. Deedrick
works each summer as a city tour guide in Berlin...
no, really.
Tyrone Paterson
Conductor
Tyrone Paterson is Manitoba
Opera’s Music Advisor and
Principal Conductor. He is
one of Canada’s major opera
conductors and has also led
performances throughout
Europe, the US, and Asia.
Recent performances include
Rigoletto (Montreal Opera);
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Edmonton Opera);
concerts in San Remo, Italy; La Traviata (Hawaii
Opera Theatre); Medea at Il Teatro Greco (Italy);
concerts for Opera Cracow (Poland); Manon
(Calgary Opera); Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera
Lyra Ottawa); and Rigoletto (Manitoba Opera).
Other notable past engagements include
Eugene Onegin featuring Russell Braun; Lucia
di Lammermoor featuring Sumi Jo; Borodin’s
Prince Igor (National Theater of Moravia-Silesia);
La Traviata and Rigoletto for Opera Constanta
(Romania); Tosca for the Opern Air Festival
(Austria); Jenufa at the Hukvaldy Festival;
Bartók’s Blue Beard’s Castle (Czech Republic);
and The Magic Flute in Beijing. Upcoming
engagements include Carmen and Madama
Butterfly (Opera Lyra Ottawa) and Don Pasquale
(Manitoba Opera).
16
Phillip Ens Ramfis
Canadian bass Phillip Ens
made his operatic debut in
1985 with Manitoba Opera
and his Canadian Opera
Company debut in 1991.
He has since been heard
throughout the world on the
stages of the most important
theatres including the
Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric
Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, L’Opéra
National de Paris, and many more.
Recent engagements for Mr. Ens include Claggart
in Billy Budd for the Glyndebourne Festival and
Houston Grand Opera, Jorg in Stiffelio at the
Metropolitan Opera, Fafner in Das Rheingold and
Siegfried at Covent Garden, Il barbiere di Siviglia at
San Francisco Opera, and Hunding in Die Walküre
at the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of
Chicago.
In the 2010/11 season he returned to the Canadian
Opera Company as Ramfis in Aida, as well as to
Munich as Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, and
appeared in the world premiere of The Inventor
for Calgary Opera. Also this season, he sings
Das Rheingold in Munich. His most recent
appearance with Manitoba Opera was as Sarastro
in the 2011 production of The Magic Flute.
Rafael Davila*
Radames
In 2011/12 Rafael Davila
debuted the role of Otello at
Sarasota Opera, in addition
to singing Ismaele in
Nabucco in Bilbao, Madama
Butterfly in Palm Beach and
Il Trovatore in New Jersey.
This season he debuts in
Washington as Pollione in Norma and returns to
Kansas City for Il Trovatore. Mr. Davila has also
recently performed Norma and Tosca with Lyric
Opera of Kansas City, Oronte in I Lombardi in
Sarasota, La Bohème in Amsterdam, Carmen in
Palm Beach, Turandot in New York and Puerto
Rico, and Un Ballo in Maschera at Teatro San
Carlo. In addition, he performed Verdi’s Requiem
with the Colorado Symphony.
With the Sarasota Opera, he has also performed
the title role in Werther, Canio in Pagliacci, Turridu
in Cavalleria Rusticana and Foresto in Verdi’s
Attila. Mr. Davila has appeared with the Fort
Worth Opera, Opera Roanoke, San Antonio Opera,
The Artists
Opera Tampa, Connecticut Grand Opera, Teatro
de la Opera de Puerto Rico, and Austin Lyric
Opera as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, the Duke
of Mantua in Rigoletto, Cassio in Otello, Alfredo in
La Traviata, and Narraboth in Salome, among others.
Other recent highlights include Desdemona (Otello)
with Palm Beach Opera, Aida at Opéra de Nice,
Leonora in Il Trovatore in Teatro Real Madrid, the
title role of Tosca for her debuts with both Seattle
Opera and Calgary Opera, and Elisabetta in Don
Carlos with the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
Tiziana Carraro*
Recent engagements include Macbeth with Opéra
de Montréal, Tosca at the New York City Opera, Il
Trovatore with Manitoba Opera (2008), Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9 at Avery Fischer Hall, and Verdi’s
Requiem with Eugene Symphony. Ms. Capalbo has
also triumphed as Leonora in La Forza Del Destino
with the Festival delle Terre Verdiane in 2004, after
which she was invited to sing in the Franco Zeffirelli
production of Aida at the Teatro Sociale in Mantova.
Amneris
Acclaimed interpreter of
mezzo-soprano dramatic
roles, the Italian-born Tiziana
Carraro regularly performs in
theatres such as the Arena in
Verona, the Opera in Rome,
the Fenice in Venice, the
Teatro Massimo in Palermo,
the Sferisterio in Macerata,
the Teatro della Pergola in Florence, the Megaron
Concert Hall in Athens, the Deutsche Oper in
Berlin, the Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège, the
New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv and the Verdi Festival
in Busseto, the Avenches Opera Festival, and with
the prestigious Strasbourg Music Festival.
Her recordings include La Forza del Destino,
Le Nozze di Figaro, Thaïs, Farnace, and Juditha
Triumphans. Among her recent performances:
Verdi’s Requiem at the Auditorium in Bilbao; Aida
at the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari; Maria Stuarda
(Elisabetta) and Samson et Dalila (Dalila) in Trieste;
Nabucco in Genoa; Juditha Triumphans in Seoul;
and Rigoletto at the 2011 Sferisterio Opera Festival
in Macerata; Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Anna
Bolena (Giovanna Seymour) at the Teatro Verdi
in Trieste; and Carmen in Novara and in
St. Margarethen. She gained great success as
Amneris in Aida at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Michele Capalbo
Aida
Excelling as an interpreter
of Verdi and verismo roles,
Ms. Capalbo has appeared in
some of the world’s most
prestigious theatres such as
Teatro Real, Houston Grand
Opera, Maggio Musicale
Fiorentino, Grand Theatre
de Genéve, L’opera de Nice,
Parma, Montreal, Santiago, Toulouse, Seattle Opera,
Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the New York City Opera.
In 2010/11 she debuted with the San Francisco
Opera and the Canadian Opera Company in Aida,
Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in Firenze, which was
followed by Aida with Vlaamse Oper and the Calgary
Opera. In 2011/12 she made her Opera Colorado
debut as Leonora in Il Trovatore and returned to Palm
Beach Opera as Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly.
David Watson
The King of Egypt
Canadian bass-baritone
David Watson began his
professional singing career in
1974 in Winnipeg. He made
his operatic debut with
Manitoba Opera in 1979
and has since performed
extensively with opera
companies and orchestras
across Canada. A featured soloist with many
choral groups from coast to coast, Mr. Watson has
also performed with Les Violons du Roy and at
Rainbow Stage.
Notable roles with Manitoba Opera include
Angelotti (Tosca), Yamadori (Madama Butterfly),
the Marquis (La Traviata), and Don Alfonso (Così
fan tutte). Mr. Watson performed the roles of the
Second Soldier and Fifth Jew in Manitoba Opera’s
production of Salome last season.
When not performing on the concert and operatic
stage, Mr. Watson serves as an avionics technician
with the Canadian Armed Forces at 402 Squadron
in Winnipeg.
Terence Mierau*
A Messenger
Saskatchewan-born Terry
Mierau began his musical
studies at the Canadian
Mennonite Bible College
in Winnipeg. He then
attended McGill University,
graduating from the Vocal
Performance program with
a Masters of Music.
continued on page 18
17
The Artists
From Montreal it was on to Amsterdam where
he joined the International Opera Centre of the
Netherlands and began singing on concert and
opera stages throughout Europe (Edinburgh, Lyon,
Vienna, Amsterdam, Winterthur) and Canada
(Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Victoria).
Just recently, Terry, together with his wife
Monique, has settled on a small farm in southern
Manitoba where they are pursuing their passions
for music and farming.
Lara Ciekiewicz
The High Priestess
Whether being hailed as
“mesmerizing” (Classical Voice
of North Carolina), “thrilling”
(The New Classical 96.3 FM),
or “a clear standout” (San
Francisco Classical Voice),
versatile soprano Lara
Ciekiewicz is making her
mark as a compelling,
intelligent, and accomplished singing-actress. A graduate of l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de
Montréal, this native Winnipegger has
distinguished herself at some of the continent’s
most prestigious training programs including
San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program, the Banff
Centre for the Arts Opera as Theatre program, the
Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center,
and Opera NUOVA. Her combination of flair,
humour, presence, vocal beauty, and style, all backed
by a solid technique, is already gaining attention.
Credits include Musetta (La Bohème); Sylva
(The Gypsy Princess); Maritza (Countess Maritza);
Lyudmila (Ruslan I Lyudmila); Fiordiligi (Così Fan
Tutte); Pamina and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte);
Alcina (Alcina); Anna (Anna Bolena); Elisabetta
(Roberto Devereux); and Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi).
Gregory Dahl
His 2011/12 season was packed with major roles
including Jokanaan in Salome for Manitoba Opera;
Count di Luna in Il Trovatore for Opéra de
Montréal; Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana and Tonio
in Pagliacci for Edmonton Opera; and the roles of
Crespel and Schlemil in Les Contes d’Hoffmann for
the Canadian Opera Company. Recent credits
include Pelleas et Melisande and Salome for Opera
Theater of St. Louis.
Upcoming engagements include Ford in Falstaff
with Opéra de Montréal, Mandryka in Arabella
(cover) with Metropolitan Opera, and Macbeth with
Opéra de Québec. The former Winnipegger studied
at the University of Manitoba, Banff Centre for the
Arts, and the University of Toronto Opera Division.
dancers
Josh Assor*
Damien Lavergne*
Kimberley Rampersad
Charlie Riddiford*^
Zach Rogers*^
Catherine Rutherford*
Amonasro
Gregory Dahl has achieved
a reputation among baritones
of his generation for bold
performances marked by
richness of characterization
and a remarkable vocal
authority. His current season
includes Adams’ El Nino for
the Vancouver Bach Choir,
Iago in Otello for Calgary Opera, Sebastian in Ades’
The Tempest for Opéra de Québec, Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9 for Symphony Nova Scotia,
18
Elijah for the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir, and
the title role in Macbeth for Pacific Opera Victoria.
^ Appearing courtesy of the
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Aspirant Program
Jera Wolfe*^
The Artists
Tadeusz Biernacki
Assistant Music
Director, Chorus Master
This is Mr. Biernacki’s
30th season with Manitoba
Opera as Assistant Music
Director, Chorus Master and
Rehearsal Pianist. He is also
the Music Director and
Conductor for the RWB.
Winner of the K. Szymanowski
Piano Competition (Warsaw), Mr. Biernacki has
performed internationally as a piano soloist.
He has conducted major orchestras across Canada,
as well as the Tessaloniki State Orchestra, St. Paul
Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Opera Orchestra,
Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra, and the
Hong Kong Sinfonietta. Mr. Biernacki has also
written orchestral arrangements for the TSO, NAC
Orchestra, and others.
He is Music Director of Saskatoon Opera where he
has conducted a number of productions including
La Traviata, La Bohème, Rigoletto, and Don Giovanni.
He also conducted their Gala concert featuring
Richard Margison.
His most recent work as a conductor with Manitoba
Opera includes the Divos and Divas Concert,
The Daughter of the Regiment, The Barber of Seville,
Candide, The Elixir of Love, Don Giovanni, Così fan
tutte, and The Magic Flute.
Guest conducting with Opera Lyra Ottawa includes
the concert versions of Hamlet and Mignon.
Jorden Morris*
Choreographer
Jorden Morris has been
choreographing for ballet
companies, film, and
television since retiring from
the stage as a principal dancer.
He is the creator behind the
RWB's two biggest box office
successes, Peter Pan and
Moulin Rouge.
Mr. Morris has worked with several dance
companies in North America including Atlanta
Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and the National
Ballet of Canada. His television credits include the
2011 Genie and the 2012 Giller Prize award shows
produced and televised by the CBC.
Scott Henderson
Lighting Designer
Scott Henderson has
designed the lighting for
eight Manitoba Opera
productions since 2002,
including Il Trovatore and
La Traviata. Most recently,
he designed the lighting for
the MTYP/Young People’s
Theatre production of The
Cat Came Back, Dry Cold Production’s Follies, and
The Dishwashers for PTE.
Mr. Henderson is a member of the Associated
Designers of Canada and a graduate of Ryerson
Theatre School. Special thanks to Karen, Sean and
Alex for their love and support.
Robert Pel
Stage Manager
Aida is the first production
Robert Pel stage managed for
the Manitoba Opera 29 years
ago. He recently participated
as stage manager in two
world premieres: Patria’s
production of The Palace
of the Cinnabar Phoenix by
R. Murray Schafer and
Pacific Opera’s production of Erewhon.
He has been the principal stage manager for Opera
Lyra in Ottawa and has also stage managed for
Opera Atelier, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Edmonton
Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and Opéra de
Québec, as well as at the Charlottetown Festival
in P.E.I., and the Huron Country Playhouse in
Grand Bend.
Other credits include In the Ring at Stratford
Festival, L’orca del Cairo and Les Mamelles de
Tiresias for the University of Toronto Opera
School and Evita for Theatre Calgary. Mr. Pel
spent four years at the Banff Festival for the
Performing Arts, where the exciting projects he
stage managed included Princess of the Stars.
He is also a faculty member at Ryerson
Polytechnical University in Toronto.
19
The Artists
Kathryn Ball
Assistant Stage Manager
Kathryn Ball is pleased to be
back with Manitoba Opera
for her ninth production.
Past productions include
Rigoletto, The Daughter of the
Regiment, Salome, The Magic
Flute, Tosca, The Barber of
Seville, Madama Butterfly,
and Il Trovatore.
Favourite theatre credits include Dreamgirls, Steel
Magnolias, The Melville Boys, Ed’s Garage (RMTC);
The Full Monty (Rainbow Stage); The Brink (PTE);
Toopy and Binoo and the Marshmallow Moon (koba).
Candace Maxwell
Did you know that when it comes to
influencing purchasing decisions, your
recommendation of an arts event is 5 TIMES
more important than a critic’s review?*
Please let your friends, family, colleagues,
neighbours, and anyone else you can think of,
know how much you enjoyed our presentation
tonight. And even better, encourage them to
attend an opera!
*Culture Track 2011, LaPlaca Cohen
Assistant Stage Manager
Candace Maxwell is thrilled
to be working on her ninth
show with Manitoba Opera.
She has been busy working
across Western Canada and
Ontario. Some selected
credits include Rigoletto, The
Magic Flute, Carmen, Transit
of Venus (Manitoba Opera);
Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Aida (Edmonton Opera);
The Nutcracker (RWB); The Boys in the Photograph
(Mirvish Productions and RMTC); The Fighting
Days, Fiddler on the Roof, Driving Miss Daisy
(RMTC); Bingo!, The Savannah Disputation,
Munscha Meeya Manitoba School Tour (PTE).
Ms. Maxwell attended The Banff Centre for the
Professional Theatre Program and Opera as
Theatre Program. Banff Centre credits include
Pride and Prejudice (Citadel Theatre), Siren Song,
and La Tragedie de Carmen. She majored in
Theatre Production and Design at the University
of Winnipeg. After Aida, Ms. Maxwell will return
to the Winnipeg Fringe Festival as Outdoor
Site Coordinator.
20
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Don’t Miss a Thing
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touch with Manitoba Opera
and be in-the-know.
Like us on Facebook
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Email Address
Just call the Box Office at
204-944-8824 or email
[email protected]
Manitoba Opera Chorus
Soprano
Mezzo
Tenor
Bass
Elizabeth Abercrombie
Christy Bergen
Ashley Boychuk
Dawn Bruch
Linda Feasby
Deborah Ginther
Kadri Irwin
Sarah Kirsch
Kathryn Patrick
Marlise Ritchie
Cathy Wach-Dueck
Lacey Wood
Katie Doke Sawatzky
Kelley Fry
Kathy Gawlik
Micheline Hay
Celoris Miller
Carol Nowell
Agata Ploszanski
Christina Pyrz-Kowall
Susanne Reimer
Mavis Ritchie
Oksana Stanowych
Karla Weir
Darryl Brunger
Peter John (PJ) Buchan
Russ Foster
Peter Klymkiw
David LaRue
Rick MacLowick
Aqvar Manhas
Colin Nicolson
George Nytepchuk
Roman Papalski
Lawrence Pauls
Trygve Ringereide
Craig Schapansky
Adam Sperry
Adam von Lau
Jerzy Bibik
David Boyes
Chris Caslake
Steve Denby
Jason Gooding
Neil Grewar
Stephen Haiko
Jason Klippenstein
Don Larsen
Aiden Ritchie
Devan Ryner
Fred Simpson
Juris Svenne
Neil Weisensel
Paul Wiens
Ted Wiens
William Jordan
François Lentz
Brent Letain
Thomas Miles
Dennis Ng
Ben Plamondon
Blair Rutkowski
Peter Sywy
John Van Benthem
Tim Webster
Supernumeraries
Diana Dizor
Ashley Kowalchuk
Megan Krohn
Robyn Pooley
Erin Taruc
Randy Batson
Tim Brenan
Mark Brubacher
Karlo Cemania
James Firby
Production Personnel
Director of
Production
Sheldon Johnson
Apprentice Stage
Manager
Matthew Lagacé
Chorus Master
Tadeusz Biernacki
Production Assistant
Libid Zyla
Rehearsal Pianist
Cary Denby
Wardrobe Supervisors
Marnie Potter and
Roslynne Manson
Wardrobe Staff
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Hair/Wig Designer
Lori Caputi
Principal Make-Up
Assistant
Jean Marc Lafond
Make-Up Designer
Christian Hadley
Projected Titles
Cueing
Kim Lavilla
Sound Board
Operator
Glen Jonatchik
Stage Crew /
Wardrobe Dressers
I.A.T.S.E. Local #63
Concert Hall Production Staff
Stage Manager
Dave Martin
Light Board
Operator
Denis Crymble
Special thanks to Clayton Rodney and Deanna Finnman of Edmonton Opera and Ian Cowie,
Canadian Opera Company.
21
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
First Violin
Gwen Hoebig,
Concertmaster
Karl Stobbe, Associate
Concertmaster
Mary Lawton,
Assistant
Concertmaster
Chris Anstey
Raymond Chrunyk
Mona Coarda
Hong Tian Jia
Trevor Kirczenow*
Simon MacDonald
Rachel Moody
Jane Radomski+
Julie Savard
Jun Shao
Second Violin
Darryl Strain,
Principal
Elation Pauls,
Assistant Principal
Karen Bauch
Rodica Filipoi
Barbara Gilroy*
Takayo Noguchi**
Boyd MacKenzie
Meredith McCallum
Susan McCallum
Claudine St-Arnauld
Phoebe Tsang
Viola
Daniel Scholz,
Principal
Anne Elise Lavallée,
Assistant Principal
Laszlo Baroczi
Richard Bauch
Greg Hay
Suzanne McKegney
Merrily Peters
Mike Scholz
Please note:
Non-titled (tutti) string
players are listed
alphabetically and are
seated according to
a rotational system.
Cello
Yuri Hooker,
Principal
Cristian Markos,**
Assistant Principal
Alex Adaman
Margaret Askeland
Arlene Dahl
Carolyn Nagelberg
Emma Quackenbush
Bass
Meredith Johnson,
Principal
Viorel Alexandru,**
Assistant Principal
Paul Nagelberg
Bruce Okrainec
Zdzislaw Prochownik
Patrick Staples
Flute
Jan Kocman,
Principal
Martha Durkin
Trumpet
Brian Sykora,
Principal
Paul Jeffrey
Isaac Pulford
Trombone
Steven Dyer,
Principal
John Helmer
Bass Trombone
Julia McIntyre,
Principal
Tuba
Chris Lee,
Principal
Timpani
Jeremy Epp,
Principal
Percussion
Frederick Liessens,
Principal
Harp
Richard Turner,
Principal
Extra Musicians
Violin – Liz Dyer
Flute – Laurel Ridd
Trumpet – Shane Hicks
Trumpet – Graham Steeds
Trumpet – Dave Lawton
Trumpet – Isaac Pulford
Percussion – Tony Cyre
Personnel Manager
Chris Lee
Principal Librarian
Raymond Chrunyk
Assistant Librarian
Laura MacDougall
* On Leave
** One year contract
+ Dual Section Position
Piccolo
Martha Durkin
Oboe
Bede Hanley,
Principal
Robin MacMillan
English Horn
Robin MacMillan
Clarinet
Micah Heilbrunn,
Principal
Michelle Goddard
Bassoon
Alex Eastley,
Principal
Meryl Summers
Horn
Patricia Evans,
Principal
Ken MacDonald,
Associate Principal
James Robertson
Caroline Oberheu
Michiko Singh
23
Manitoba Opera
Mission Statement
Manitoba Opera is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to
changing people’s lives through the glory of opera.
Manitoba Opera will
1. Present a balanced repertoire of both traditional and innovative productions;
2. Be the leader among Canadian opera companies in the development and employment of Canadian talent with an emphasis on
Manitoba artists and technical personnel;
3. Operate as a fiscally responsible organization.
The Honourable
Philip S. Lee, C.M., O.M.
Lieutenant-Governor
of Manitoba
His Worship
Sam Katz,
Mayor of the
City of Winnipeg
Founding President,
The Honourable
A. Kerr Twaddle
Artistic Director Emeritus,
Dr. Irving Guttman, C.M., O.B.C.
Founding Director Emeritus,
Dr. Robert H. Thorlakson, O.C.*
Directors Emeriti
James W. Astwood
Thos. F. Copeland *
Rosalind Dick
D. Chris Finnbogason
H.E. Harland
Mrs. Kenneth R. Howell
A. Rolph Huband
Richard Irish
Bruce H. Lang
Mrs. Sinclair A. Levack*
Allan M. Moore *
Dr. Robert N. Morris
Dr. M.M. Pierce *
Dr. Elmer E. Reimer
Louis R. (Bud) Sherman
Eleanor Siddall
Dr. Lawrence Soloway
J.F. Reeh Taylor
Leigh Taylor
* deceased
24
Board of Trustees
Staff
Jennifer Snyder,
Chair
Wayne Benson,
Secretary
Dr. Robert Biscontri
Treasurer
Peter George,
Past Chair
Elba Haid
Peter Heavysege,
Community Support Chair
Dr. Anthony Iacopino
Sue Jurkovic
Chris Mainella,
Governance Chair
Luisa Matheson,
Special Events Co-Chair
Melanie Sifton,
Special Events Co-Chair
Carolin Taubensee
Robert Vineberg,
Vice-Chair, Audience
Development Chair
(Listed alphabetically)
Manitoba Opera
Office
Room 1060, 555 Main Street
Winnipeg, MB R3B 1C3
204-942-7479
www.manitobaopera.mb.ca
Manitoba Opera is a member of
Opera.ca and Opera America.
PROGRAM ADVERTISING
Pennie Olson,
Program Ads Sales Rep.
Ph: 1-204-642-7574
E-mail:
[email protected]
Tadeusz Biernacki
Assistant Music Director/
Chorus Master
Michael Blais
Director of Administration
Larry Desrochers
General Director & CEO
Livia Dymond
Education and Outreach
Coordinator
Sheldon Johnson
Director of Production
Tyrone Paterson
Music Advisor &
Principal Conductor
Darlene Ronald
Director of Marketing
Natasha Macdonald-Sawh
Patron Services
Representative
Vivian Schubert
Accountant
Monica Wood
Director of Development
Peggy Vidya
Development Assistant
(Interim)
BOX OFFICE
Manitoba Opera
General Office
Lower Level,
Centennial Concert Hall
Room 1060, 555 Main Street,
Wpg. R3B 1C3
Hours: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm,
Monday to Friday
Casual Tickets: 204-944-8824
Subscriber Services Hotline:
204-957-7842
Online:
tickets.manitobaopera.mb.ca
Website:
www.manitobaopera.mb.ca
Program design by Panama Design
Under the
distinguished
patronage of
Partners in Opera
Manitoba Opera gratefully acknowledges the encouragement and financial support given by many
individuals, foundations, businesses, and corporations, allowing us to bring opera to Manitobans.
Listings include donations made between February 1, 2012 to March 14, 2013.
Please call Monica Wood at 204-942-0489 if you see any errors or omissions, or if you
would like further information on any of Manitoba Opera’s donation programs.
Season Supporters
Production & Performance Sponsors
Education & Outreach Sponsors
Student Night at the Opera
Hotel Partner
Design Partner
In-School Presentation by Al Simmons
Foundation and Corporate Supporters
MATCHING GIFTS
You can make your gift go
even further if your company
participates in a matching
giving program. Ask your
employer for an application
before making your donation
to Manitoba Opera.
Manitoba Public Insurance
McKim Cringan George
Sun Life Financial
TD Bank Group
Triple E. Canada Limited
The Wawanesa Mutual
Insurance Company
FUNDERS
Prinicipals
$5,000 to $9,999
Canada Council for the Arts
Manitoba Arts Council
Richardson Foundation
The Winnipeg Foundation
Winnipeg Arts Council
Corporate Leaders
BMO Financial Group
Delta Winnipeg
The Great-West Life
Assurance Company
National Leasing
Terracon Development Ltd.
Jewish Foundation of
Manitoba for Brundibár
Chorus
$2,500 to $4,999
Marwest Group of
Companies
Nova 3 Engineering Ltd.
Parrish & Heimbecker
Limited
Supers
$1,000 to $2,499
FRIENDS
$100 to $499
Cambrian Credit Union
Children's Dental World
Manitoba Hydro
Pollard Banknote Limited
Elba & Marshall* Haid and
Lara Secord-Haid
Red River Cooperative Ltd.
ADA Holding Co. Ltd.
Crosier Kilgour & Partners
Ltd.
GEO. H. Young Co. Ltd.
Melet Plastics Inc.
Lakeview Management Inc.
PCGI
Saper Agencies Ltd.
Artists
$500 to $999
Price Industries Limited
Indutec Alchemist (1987)
Inc.
Maple Leaf Construction
Ltd.
Number Ten Architectural
Group
Reitmans Canada Limited
Thank you to our corporate
donors who supported
Manitoba Opera with gifts
of under $100.
25
Partners in Opera
C
Camerata
The name comes from
a group of 16th century
Florentine poets,
musicians, and nobles who
were patrons of the arts.
It was through their efforts,
talents, creativity and
support that opera was
born and flourished.
Manitoba Opera’s Camerata
helps ensure that the finest
possible representation of
the operatic art continues
to be available to the
Manitoba public. With any
gift of $1,250 or more,
individuals automatically
become a member of the
Camerata. In addition to
all Friends benefits,
Camerata members enjoy
exclusive privileges and
special programs.
◆ Monthly giving
+ Member, Board of Trustees
† Manitoba Opera Staff
* Deceased
Friends of Manitoba Opera
is a program designed to
help us acknowledge and
thank the many private
individuals who support
Manitoba Opera each year.
◆ Monthly giving
+ Member, Board of Trustees
† Manitoba Opera Staff
* Deceased
BENEFACTOR
$500 to $1,249
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bartolo
Bruce & Shelley Bertrand
Meadows
Carol Campbell &
Andrew Krentz
Bjorn & Roberta Christianson
John & Gay Docherty
Delores Gembey
26
Impresario Circle
$5,000 +
Susan Brownstone Brock
in Memory of her father
Jack Brownstone
Bonnie and John Buhler
Bill & Shirley Loewen
Michael F. B Nesbitt
One Anonymous Donor
MAESTRO
$3,000 to $4,999
Ms. Gail Asper &
Dr. Michael Paterson
Frank Fred Gladky
Donna & Ian Plant
George & Tannis Richardson
Robert Vineberg + &
Lena Horne ◆
Mrs. Deborah Thorlakson in Memory of Dr. Robert
H. Thorlakson
Virtuoso
$2,000 to $2,999
Audrey F. Hubbard
Ms. Barbara Hamilton
Investors Group Matching
Gift Program
Michael & Mary Kinnear
Drs. Herman Lam &
Laura Chan ◆
Dr. John & Natalie Mayba
Ron & Sandi Mielitz
Ms. Nicole Napoleone
Mr. Josef Nejmark
Ms. Norma Anne Padilla
Margaret & Paul Shuckett
Dr. & Mrs. Murray
R. Steinbart
Karl Strieby
Reeh & Pamela Taylor
Dr. Milada A. Toffler
Jesse Vorst
Shirley & Herb Wildeman ◆
The John Leslie Taylor Fund
through The Winnipeg
Foundation
Two Anonymous Donors
Mr. B. Roslycky &
Dr. P. Kmet
Lorraine Beck &
Craig McIntosh
Bill & Donna Parrish
Drs. William Pope &
Elizabeth Tippett-Pope
Edward J. Ransby
Hartley & Heather
Richardson
Sanford & Deborah Riley
Vic & Ruth Thielmann
Camerata
$1,250 to $1,999
Aubrey & Dr. Linda Asper
Jim & Margaret-Lynne
Astwood
Robert & Alison Darling
Laurie Lam &
Larry Desrochers†
Susan Glass & Arni
Thorsteinson
Elba Haid + &
Lara Secord-Haid
Charles Hébert &
Valerie McPherson
SUPPORTER
$250 to $499
John & Carolyn Adair
Jay & Judy Anderson
Zaz Bajon &
Pat Hunter-Bajon
Ms. Margaret Barbour
Mary & Jerzy Bibik
Sheila & David Brodovsky
George Chuchman
Ron Clement
Martin Reed & Joy Cooper
Denise Cyr-Gander
Lawrence & Brenda Ellerby
Kathleen Estey
Mr. & Mrs. D.C. Finnbogason
Reg Friend
Ms. Penny Gilbert
Dr. Jeremy &
Mrs. Maureen Gordon
Larry & Susanne Greer
Ms. Ljiljana ZlatanovicKovacevic
Ms. Lena Horne
Mr. Peter Heavysege +
Leona Herzog ◆
Audrey Inglis
Robert B. Jackson
Sheldon Johnson†
Mr. Ralf Kyritz
Dr. David Lyttle
Christopher Mainella +
& Christine Van
Cauwenberghe
Darlene Ronald †
& Stewart Heaton
Eleanor & Bob Siddall
Charles Tax
Leigh Taylor &
Beverley De’Athe
Dr. & Mrs. J.M. Trainor
The Hon. A. Kerr Twaddle
& Susan Twaddle
Brent Twist
Mrs. Ruth* and
Dr. Reid Waters
One Anonymous Donor
Loretta Kampeas &
John Gartner ◆
Barry Konzelman
Ms. Ellen Leibl
Marion Lewis
Richard Lobdell &
Evelyn Forget
Ms. Debbie MacKenzie
Cam Mackie &
Doris Mae Oulton
Ms. Iona McPhee
Marc Monnin &
Donna Miller
Barbara Nicolson
Parker Hannifin Canada
Matching Gift Program
Vic Pinchin
Dr. Brian Postl
B. Steidle
Thomas & Wanda Struthers
Lee Treilhard
Mr. & Mrs. H. Voigt
Edna Walpole ◆
Florence & Donald Whitmore
Elizabeth & Charles Wilson
Four Anonymous Donors
Partners in Opera
SUSTAINER
$100 to $249
All Charities Campaign
Monica Allison ◆
Tatiana Arcand
Dr. John R.M. Smith &
Douglas H. Arrell
Mario & Josie Audino
Earl & Cheryl Barish
Mrs. Mary Beach
Dick & Minnie Bell
Christian Benhamou
Mr. & Mrs. Peter &
Allsion Cranmer ◆
Ruth Berry & Hugh Larimer
The Diggity Dogs, Laddie
and Hank
Mr. & Mrs. Morley &
Marjorie Blankstein,
C.M.O.M.
Tony & Helga Bowden
Patricia Bragg
Mrs. Donna Byrne
Mrs. Natalie Byrne
Brenlee Carrington Trepel
& Brent Trepel
Dr. Teresa Cavett
Thor Choptiany
Jessica Cranmer
Mrs. Miriam Crawford
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Cuddy
M. Cumming
Judy & Werner Danchura
Ms. L. Daniels
Mr. Gary Davis
Anna M. Desilets ◆
Mrs. Helene Dobel
Sally R. Dowler
Evelyn Downey
John & Ada Ducas
Drs. Harry W. &
Mary Lynn Duckworth
Mr. Michael Dyck
Ms. Sylvia Ellis
Caroline & Armin Ens
Jillian Epp
Robert & Margaret Ferguson
Mr. & Mrs. James &
Linda Feasby
Mr. Paul Fieldhouse
Sandra Foster & Peter Holle
Mrs. Inge Froese
Eileen George
Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Gomori ◆
Mrs. Beth Grant
T. Gregoryanz
Ms. Donnalynn Grills
Patricia Guy
Mr. Bruce Haines
Ian & Gerry Hamilton
Gregory & Heather
Hammond
Glen & Margaret Harrison ◆
Mr. & Mrs. N. & L. Holliday
Ms. June Hunnie ◆
Maureen & Gary Hunter
Jacob & Judi Janzen
Jim & Margaret Jeffries
Mr. & Mrs. Terry Jewell
Donald & Sheila Keatch
Irene Hamilton & Tim Killeen
Dr. Allen Kimelman ◆
M.J. King
Ms. Heather Kozubski
Mr. Jean-Jacques Laurans
Maria Stapleton &
Michael Lea
David & Suzanna Libby
Richars Lobdell &
Evelyn Forget ◆
Pat Trainor MacRae
Dr. John Mansfield
Gert & Katherine Martens
Barbara McCandless
Heather & Bob Milan
Mr. & Mrs. W. Mildren
Mr. Tony Mitousis
Mr. Peter Morgan
Ms. Anita Neville
Sheldon & Chrissy Novak ◆
Kevin & Margaret O’Flaherty
Mr. & Mrs. Ed &
Dorothy Paryzek
Ms. Layna Penner
Mr. Brian Perchaluk
Keith & June Perron
Mr. Rick Pinchin
Hans Pintea
Ms. Marina Plett-Lyle
Susan Popkes
Mr. Jason Regula
Dr. & Mrs. Elmer E. Reimer
Ricou-Manfreda
Roger Rigelhof &
Marjorie Russell
Emery E. Ruff
R. Runnells
Johnny Rule &
Pearly Salangad
Joe Sandy
Mr. & Mrs. Hans Schneider
Shirley Schroeder
Mr. Gunter Schupke
Murray & Gail Singer
Jeff Sisler &
Cathy Rippin-Sisler
Jean Smellie
Mr. T. David &
Mrs. Lorraine Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Dan Snidal ◆
Nicola Spasoff &
Erik Thomson
Ellen Spencer ◆
Mr. & Mrs. Stano Spina
Mr. David Stacey
John & Coralie Standing
Brenda Keith St. Clair
Ms. Joan Stephens
Elva G. Stevens
William & Peggy Stewart ◆
Mr. Clifford Strachan
Juris & Aija Svenne
Dr. Shelley Sweeney
Dr. Emöke J. E Szathmàry
Meir Serfaty and
Bonnie Talbot
Lloyd Talbot
Virginia Tate
Ms. Carolin M. Taubensee +
Mr. Len Termeer
Verna Tribula
Mr. Ian Trump &
Ms. Marcella Poirier
Ms. Katherine Twaddle
Dorothy Tytgat
Suzanne Ullyot
Eve Vickar
Dr. & Mrs. F.C. Violago
Dr. Robert D. Walker
Mrs. Faye Warren
Mr. A.M.C. Waterman ◆
Dr. & Mrs. Graham &
Vicki Young
Ken Young
Donn K. Yuen
Marylla van Ginkel
Mr. Ivan Zimmer
12 Anonymous Donors
CONTRIBUTOR
$50 to $99
P. Achtemichuk
Ms. Helen Adrian
Mrs. Pat Ahmad
Ms. Gloria Anderson
Mr. & Mrs. Don & Jean Ayre
Mrs. D. Patricia Barry
Audrey Belyea
Ms. Gertrude Bergen
Jeanette Block
Mr. Emile &
Mrs. Anna Blouin
Ms. Taeko Boorberg
Mrs. Phyllis Briercliffe
Mrs. F. Buckmaster
Mr. Robert Campbell
Agnes & John K. Collins
Mr. Richard Coutts
G. & M. Crielaard
Miss K. Crowston
Christine Dewar
Jeanie M. Dubberley
Mr. Spencer Duncanson
Dr. Dorothy Easton
Mr. Kornelius Ens
Mr. & Mrs. H.R Entz
Julie Enyingi
Mr. Willie Falk
Peter & Vera Fast
Ms. Nelma Fetterman
Dr. & Mrs. D. D. Fillis
Gayle Fischer
Mrs. J. Fitzmaurice
Ms. Marguerite Fredette
Gitta Fricke & Andrea Cibinel
Ms. Denise Gillies
Ms. Deborah L. Ginther
Don Graham
John & Louise Greenaway
Lorraine Griffiths ◆
Esther Haluschak
Mr. John Harder
Ms. Ruth Hartnell
Dr. & Mrs. J.C. Haworth
Mrs. Jane Hayakawa
Mr. Yude Henteleff
Dr. & Mrs. Earl S. Hershfield
Patricia & Robert Hill
Stella Hryniuk
Ms. Janice Ingimundson
Mr. & Mrs. Reinhard &
Liesel Jansson
David & Heather Jenkins
Lucie Joyal
J.H. Kaminsky
Ms. Mary Kasper
Mr. Fred Kisil
C. Kleiner
Andrew & Claudia Serray
Mr. Gilles Landry
Katherine Lee
Mr. Camille Legare
Gordon P. Linney
Shirley Lynch
Claudette & Michel
McDonald
27
Partners in Opera
Al & Diane McGregor
Anny Meyer
Ms. Emily Mikolajewski
Mrs. Annette Minuk
Mr. & Mrs. Fred &
Margaret Mooibroek
Ms. Eleanor Moore
Dr. Donna Norell
Mr. Grant Pastuck
Lesia Peet
Norman & Edna Pohl
Jacqueline Ratte Kohut
Ms. Sherry Ridley
Mrs. Waltraut Riedel-Baun
David H. & Helene Riesen
Beverly Ryman
Dr. C. Michael Sampson
Mr. & Mrs. Eduard
Schludermann
Rita Schroeder ◆
Phyllis Schwartz
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Scott
Ms. Marlene Serafin
Linda Sexsmith
Louise Shaw
Shelagh Sinclair Fund
through the Winnipeg
Foundation
Mrs. Marie Sichler
Howie & Sue Simpson
Bob Smith
Mrs. Rae Spear
Clifford & Gina Speer
Mr. Peter Sribniak
M. & H. Stinson
Ms. Megan Tate
Ms. Bette Jayne Taylor
Rev. Ross Taylor
Robert & Catherine Thiessen
Mr. Norman D. Toms
Mrs. F.A. Trott
Kenneth R. Twomey
Mrs. Shirley Tyderkie
Mr. Tim Wildman
Debbie Wilson
Walter & Arlene Wolfe
Elizabeth Woods
Phillip S. Young ◆
17 Anonymous Donors
Many thanks to all of our
donors who generously
supported Manitoba Opera
with donations under $50.
28
Encore Circle
Manitoba Opera’s Planned
Giving Program
Larry Desrochers + &
Laurie Lam
Donn K. Yuen
Endowment Fund
Gifts
Marion Lewis
Terracon Development Ltd.
Mrs. Faye Warren
Please consider making a gift
to the Manitoba Opera
Endowment Fund, visit
www.wpgfdn.org to make
a donation today!
Endowment Fund
Gifts made in Memory
of Marshall Haid
Ms. Gail Asper &
Dr. Michael Paterson
Rebecca Grafstein
Ms. Goldie G. Weatherhead
Bequests
The Estate of Margareth Mol
TRIBUTES
In Memory of…
Mr. Graham Dixon
Faye Dixon
Mr. Ross Houston
Ms. Patricia Gartrell
Mr. George Krahn
Sharon & Cecil Cox
C Inglis
Gail & Joe Jarema
Christine & Henry
Sahrmann
Harold Pollock
Arnice Pollock
Evelyn Shapiro
Daniel Shapiro
Mr. David Harrison Skinner
Donn K. Yuen
Mr. R.F. Skinner
David Harrison Skinner
Mrs. Ruth Waters
Mr. Justice & Mrs. Ashdown
John & Bonnie Buhler
Mrs. Jane Frain
Mr. Richard Irish
Mrs. Carol Macoomb
Mrs. Donna Plant
Vern & Ann Simonsen
Mrs. Deborah Thorlakson
Dr. & Mrs. T. Kenneth
Thorlakson
Michael & Mimi Trainor
Dr. Cyril Woolf
Marie Gordon
In Honour of…
In Honour of Michael Blais Johanna Riley
In Honour of John Buhler’s
Order of Canada, and Bonnie
Buhler’s 65th Birthday One Anonymous Donor
In Honour of Bonnie Buhler
on the occasion of her
birthday - Drs. William Pope
& Elizabeth Tippett-Pope
Congratulations to Chris
Mainella upon his judicial
appointment - Janet and
Larry Gould
MONTHLY OR BY INSTALMENTS
It’s often more convenient to give a substantial gift in smaller,
more comfortable instalments. Your chosen gift amount is
debited automatically from your bank account or credit card.